ExpectedOutcome:
Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes:
Proposals under this topic are expected to identify a set of suitable innovative smart and sustainable solutions to be tested, validated and demonstrated in real conditions, to address negative impacts of fishing gears on marine life and habitats and promote long-term sustainability in our ocean and seas.
Interdisciplinary approaches and close cooperation between researchers, fishing industry, fisheries managers and other stakeholders will be fundamental to the development, introduction and acceptance of innovative, smart and sustainable fishing technologies.
Proposals are expected to address one of the following issues:
Each project will test in real conditions at least three sustainable, cost-effective and innovative solutions developed under EU, national, regional programmes or privately funded, for sustainable and low-impact fishing gears (e.g.: Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020; LIFE, the EU Maritime, Fishery and Aquaculture Fund – EMFAF and its predecessor) as well as outcomes of EU funded projects (e.g.: NetTag[1]; Oceanets[2], Bluenet[3], marGnet[4], Biogeras[5]). These three solutions will either address environmental impacts of fishing gears or the circular aspects of fishing gears and use of sustainable materials.
Awareness raising actions should be included to provide users of fishing gear containing plastic proper information about, for example, the availability of re-usable alternatives and re-use systems, appropriate waste management options available and best practices, as well as about the plastic content in fishing gear.
The projects funded under this topic will address all following issues:
SMEs, early-stage business and scale-ups involved in Mission projects entailing innovative, scalable and sustainable business ventures from traditional and emerging blue economy sectors are invited to join the BlueInvest community and benefit from the BlueInvest Fund[6].
Proposals are expected to show how their activities and results will achieve the Mission’s objectives, in line with the timeframe of the Mission phases, i.e.: by 2025 for the ‘development and piloting’ phase and 2030 for the ‘deployment and upscaling phase’.
Specific Topic Conditions:Activities are expected to achieve TRL 7 to 8 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
Cross-cutting Priorities:Ocean sustainability and blue economy
[1]https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/featured-projects/nettag_en
[3]https://www.bluenetproject.eu/
[6]BlueInvest provides equity from the European Maritime, Aquaculture and Fisheries Fund, matching guarantees from InvestEU, capital from the European Invest Fund and its parent the European Investment Bank to venture capital or impact funds who will crowd in other investments. See: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/maritimeforum/en/frontpage/1451